20 - Year Growth Plan - City of Kendleton

10.0 Community ResourcesResources including public safety, fire protection, and medical care ensure cities are asafe, healthy, and enjoyable place to live. The purpose of this section is to identify andassess Kendleton’s major regional community resources including police, fire, hospitals,and schools as shown in Figure 10-1 on the following page. Table 10-A lists theseresources and their proximity to Kendleton’s city center.10.1 PoliceAll police services are currently handled by the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, whichis located 13.0 miles from Kendleton. However, as discussed previously, the city’spopulation is forecasted to potentially triple over the next twenty years. Othercommunities which currently rely on the county sheriff also are experiencing asignificant amount of long term growth. This will place additional strain on existingcounty resources. Even if Kendleton continues to retain its rural character, increasedintensity of land uses outside of the ETJ equate to higher traffic moving throughKendleton, which in turn, leads to greater chances of opportunistic crime.10.2 FireThe Beasley City Fire Department and the East Bernard Volunteer Fire Departmentprovide fire protection and emergency service to Kendleton. Both departments arelocated about 7.5 miles from Kendleton. Much of the housing stock in Kendleton is olderframe construction and in generally good condition. However, there are also severalvacant structures identified in Exhibit III – Planning Factors Map, several of which havenoticeable signs of former fires. Several vacant properties are also overgrown with treesand weeds that are several feet in height. Dry summers combined with irregular houserepair and brush clearing can ultimately turn properties into tinderboxes, whichincreases the chances of uncontrolled fires.Because fire departments are not tasked with post-fire building repairs and construction,the long-term visual impacts of fire-damaged structures creates a negative experiencewhile travelling through the community. As Kendleton grows in population, additionalstrain will be placed on existing water resources as well. Kendleton is most likely notthe only community relying on outside help for fire protection. However, as discussedpreviously with police services, long-term growth in Fort Bend County will placeadditional strain on limited resources in the area.20-Year Growth Plan 57